Brother's Nightmare: The 21st Hunger Games
by wamphyri21
Summary: I am 18 years old, the last year of a reaping before I am free from it forever. But it is my name drawn. Kain Schmidt of District 6 entering the nightmare that is the Hunger Games. My nightmare isn't over. Who else is chosen from my District? Gwenivere. My little sister. Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Hunger Games world. I liked the books, so made my own within the world. That's it.
1. Prologue: Gaius

Gaius sat panting and leaning against a palm tree licking his lips trying desperately to wet them. So thirsty, he thought to himself as he looked around at the beach he was near. The place was wet and the waves of the nearby sea splashed rapidly onto the sand and rocks but it was salt water. Drinking that would spell his death. He sat there staring hopefully at the water, wishing it to become drinkable. He idly played with his trio of tomahawks next to him, his only defense against the other tributes, yet his true enemy now was dehydration. Not a sip of water for almost four hours, he was weakening fast and couldn't stop it. He thought of trying to walk the few miles to get to the Cornucopia where he knew there would be some water left over.  
The wind shifted and blew sand into his face, but he still widened his eyes when the cannon went. He looks up to the sky looking for the hovercraft that will appear to take the corpse of either the boy from 4 or the boy from 9. He gasps in terror with the craft appears almost directly above him before shifting over to his right into the jungle before the claw drops. The craft seals up the remains of the tribute and disappears, and at that moment the boy from 9 bursts through the brush less than twenty feet away.

He reacted just in the nick of time, grabbing his tomahawks and spinning around the tree barely avoiding an arrow. Gaius dropped two of the tomahawks at his feet and leaned out around the tree the way he came and threw. He sees the tomahawk get blocked by 9's bow and deflected aside but in that defensive movement 9 dropped the arrow in his hand. Gaius fought against the cramps in his sides and grabbed his weapons rushing off down the beach weaving in and out of the palm trees.

It seemed to Gaius that he had run for an hour, with 9 firing arrow after arrow at him, making Gaius think he had a hundred of the damned things. Gaius fell to a knee and placed a hand on the tree next to him, the tomahawks clipped to his belt. A few seconds later he realized he should have kept running when an arrow pierces his hand pinning it to the tree. Gaius narrows his eyes against the pain and looks back to see 9 toss his bow aside, finally out of arrows, and start stalking towards him with a sword and knife. Gaius looked to his hand pinned to the tree, the arrow barely hit him between the pinky and ring finger of his hand.

With his other hand stuffing some of his shirt into his mouth Gaius rips his hand down tearing it from the arrow and tree. He turns his wounded left hand clutched to his chest, his right hand with a tomahawk swings, blocking the strike of 9's sword. Already weakened Gaius spent his time trying to block the slow but methodical attacks of nine. Once his tomahawk slipped through and cut his side, but barely a scratch. Three times 9's knife broke through his defenses and cut him. His cheek, shoulder and lower back cut open and began bleeding slowly.  
Knowing he had to fight to survive, Gaius shut out the pain and suddenly kicked out, catching 9 in the stomach and sending him backwards a few steps. Nine straightened up after the kick and was surprised to find Gaius swinging with two tomahawks, his injured hand dripping blood with his swings. The two tributes traded swings, neither inflicting any wounds on the other. Nine slowly backed down under the sudden ferocity of Gaius' strikes, although with a wounded hand he seemed to be blocking out all pain.

Finally Gaius caught 9's sword with one of his tomahawks, bringing it down low his knife hand caught between his arm and chest. But both of Gaius' arms were down low, so Gaius hooked both ax heads onto the sword and wretched upwards. Nine's shirt ripped open, twin lines of blood spreading from his right side to his left shoulder. The sudden attack from Gaius had made him fling his sword over his shoulder, and the wounds on his chest left him weak. The knife dropped to the sand after he fell to his knees.

Gaius dropped the tomahawk from his wounded left hand and gripped the other with both hands. Gaius swung out with all his power behind the single tomahawk and the last swing in the arena of the 17th Hunger Games. If the blade were a little sharper, his swing and little farther out, the country of Panem would've witnessed Nine's head falling from his body. Barely missing the bone, 9's throat opened and sprayed a gout of blood at Gaius before the body fell backwards to the sand and the cannon fired.

Gaius, of District 6, victor of the 17th Hunger Games, at age 15.


	2. Prologue: Lynn

Lynn wiped her mouth and nose with the sleeve of her shirt, wiping the remnants of the vomit she just put onto the ground. Judging by the feeling in her stomach and the intense pain in her sides Lynn was guessing she was poisoned. She was stung by a scorpion earlier in the day. She had braved the Cornucopia Oasis to get some much needed food, but the scorpions seemed to be protected the last pieces of food District 1 boy had. 1 had kept all the food and leftover supplies from the beginning of the games two weeks ago at the Cornucopia. Most of his alliance was killed within the first week, but he endured much to the rest of the tribute's dismay.

Lynn sat down with a thump sighing and thinking back, she had scored a 3 from lack of skills, had run from the bloodbath at the start of the games, and had hid while others died around her. When the last cannon fired, signalling the death of 7 girl. Lynn hoped against hope that it was 1 who died, but when the broadcast of the fallen played the previous night it was her face, not 1's who graced the sky. Only Lynn and 1 left, and she was poisoned from a scorpion so she expects to die soon. Against her family's wishes back home 1 crests the sand dune behind Lynn and sees her.

With an animalistic shout that warns Lynn the boy from 1 charges down the dune towards her. Lynn with her dwindling strength and state of being unarmed pulls herself to her feet and tries desperately to run. She only succeeds in falling a few feet from where she started and begins rolling down the dune. Lynn pushes herself again to her feet and turns to look back up the dune for 1, who as she turned had leapt at her. The two tributes crash to the ground and their arms flail at each other, Lynn getting a lucky elbow strike against 1's throat choking him long enough for her to push him off of her.

One lets her get a few steps away from her before he draws out his sword and delivers an underhanded swing cutting her back. Lynn falls to her knees in front of 1, her arms reaching back to try to hold her blood from seeping out. The boy from 1 gloated at the half dead tribute from 6 in front of him. Ever an annoyance to him, somehow escaping all conflict and surviving in this harsh desert. One throws his sword away from him and straightens his belt with his knife in it and stalks towards her, determined to beat her to death for insulting him. Lynn is clubbed in the side of the head by 1's massive fist, the blow spinning her and making her land on her back, putting sand into her wound.

The sun is blocked from her view as 1 kneels over her and raises his fist. The first blow nearly sends Lynn into unconsciousness but she stays awake to feel three more heavy punches from the vicious tribute from 1. Her eyes glaze over as she looks back on her life of a pacifist. Never harming anyone, or anything. A person attacking her or her family would not anger her, an animal sitting next to her as she starves for food, she would not strike to kill and eat. Her eyes shift slightly after 1 punches her for the fourth time. Her eyes lay on the knife in his belt. With all her remaining strength, even without the poison would not be much, she spits a mouthful of blood and saliva into the eyes of one. She uses the distraction and his rage against him, and when his fury boils over and he goes to slam his forehead into hers, the tip of his knife awaits his eye.

His corpse falls on her, the handle of the knife sticking painfully into the side of her neck, the cannon fires but the poison, heat, and fear of coming face to face with death leaves her shocked still. The Capitol claims her and the body of 1 at the same time, instantly feeding her an antidote for the poison and treating her wound.

Lynn, of District 6, the unexpected victor of the 11th Hunger Games at age 14.

**Author's Note:**

I wanted to write Gaius' first but when I wrote/posted it was 4AM. Didn't think of doing Lynn's and making her older until later, but this can work.


	3. The Nightmare Begins: The Reaping

"How come you aren't dressing up?" Gwenivere asked noisily.

"I never liked uniforms anyways kiddo, why would I try to look pretty to watch people getting signed up for their own funeral?" I responded simply.

"Are you ever serious?"

"Damn right I'm not!" I turn and tickle my little sister. A dark day, for everyone expect careers who jump at the opportunity for 'honor'.

They obviously never looked clearly at what this was.

Gwenivere, only twelve years old and not a care in the world. Being in District 6 things could not be much worse. Sure it wasn't the supposed and famed luxury of the Capitol but it was fair. I worked in one of the factories making train parts for the large trains that ferried supplies around the Districts. She? My little sister worked at a small bakery, helping a friend of mine's mother.

"But your name is in there a lot." She said, saddened suddenly.

"Yes, 31 times. But hey, if they don't pick me this year I'm home free."

"They can still pick me after that."

"And that is why we had the argument we had a few months ago."

I see her eyes glaze over as she remembers. A large, run down warehouse, probably there since before the cataclysm, is where I brought her, where I got her training. I had fashioned makeshift weapons from spare items laying around and branches. We got to training, even though she complained multiple times that we weren't a "career" District. Everything I did for her was for now, the chance of being chosen. Dad taught us history, like from his own books he told us of back before the cataclysm. He constantly told us about war, and military, Ancient Rome was his favorite it seemed, the Gladiators in the glorious and honorable Coliseum. He saw The Games as the new version of that without the honor.

"Kain?" I look into her eyes, welling with tears. "You aren't going to die right? Not like Dad."

"Dad died of sickness sweet one. I'll die of fighting." I reply with a grin. "Come on, let us go watch a funeral!"

So we left, her in her cute little dress, not the Capitol garments, but a nice purple dress, bow and flower. I didn't care, never did. I straightened my leather jacket, bought for an alternator I scavenged from our training warehouse. The typical things, prick of a finger, the video of "why" the Capitol representative and their 'Capitol Rules all" bullshit. Then the Reaping itself.

"Men first since some seem so eager."

The representative reached into the glass and quickly chose a card.

"Kain Schmidt."

NO! Last damned year and of course it was me. I sigh and shake my head, my gaze catching Gwenivere with tears welling. I shake my head "no" at her and continue walking. I rip my arm out of the clutches of the peacekeepers, I'll walk unhindered to my own damned funeral. She says some words that I don't care to hear once I stand next to her, my mind wanders, hoping that my sister will survive somehow. I know a friend will look after her, always promised me that. Damnit just had to be me!

"Oh my..."

Her voice snaps my gaze to the representative.

"Gwenivere Schmidt..." She trails off.

My mind, body, and soul goes numb, my gaze slowly tracks over the crowd, each face looking up at me with worry and pity. My eyes focus on her...my little sister, chosen to be slaughtered like an animal along with me. She walks in front of the keepers, their hands not on her arm, like I did, her face stern and set, hard as marble. Good girl.

The Justice building is probably the second nicest thing in the entire District. Next to the Peacekeeper barracks. Rugs hugged the floor as me and Gwenivere were escorted upstairs and then separated to go into different waiting rooms for people to say goodbye. I was not surprised in the least when Just came in. His name was Justin but I shortened it because of all his jokes about the Peacekeeper's jobs as more Judge Jury and more often than not Executioner. Large guy, 19 by a hair so he was now working full time in the factories and out of the Reaping. He was tall, taller than me, and built like an ox on...what did my dad call them? Steroids. Once he turned 18 and the Reaping was over, giving him freedom from that, he started immediately joking about joining the Peacekeepers and then turning his attention to mine and my sister's 'illegal training'. A punch put a stop to that joke.

"Need anything?" His uneven voice echoed.

I sigh and lower my head thinking.

"Keep the house tidy. Lock all my dad's stuff up. Gwenivere's going to want them when she comes back."

"Why am I surprised you said that?" He says walking to a window. Bars on the window prevent you from jumping, I think dad said a friend of Mom's was so thin she could squeeze through and when Mom came to her in this room, she was right at the windows clearly thinking of it.

"Justin." I call

He turns and smiles at me. Jerk. "Full name? Worried."

"Shut up. Listen... at home in the kitchen is a small knife, use it to get the planks underneath my bed open. Keep everything."

"Will do."

He knocks on the door, knowing I have nothing else to say and leaves before the time is even up. The next person does surprise me. My boss Archibald. He found out he was 'dry' years ago, and never had to worry about kids, therefore he devoted his life to his job. Under the District and Capitol men, he technically owned half the factories surrounding the main town.

"Guess using my old warehouse as your training ground will help for sure now." He says smiling...always smiling.

"You know?"

"I go there every now and then to check up on the old wreck. Was actually going to bring some workers and tear the thing down and sell the materials. But I figured you and your sister found a better use for it."

He sat down on one of the chairs.

"I'll make sure it gets fixed up now though." He says quietly while he looks at the door.

He does not have to say it, but I'm sure that means "I'll turn it into a training ground for any kids that want to use it."

We chat for the few minutes left about work, how he fired two workers, but sent them to another warehouse to get jobs, his last shipment of steel turning out to be really weak iron. Minor crap that just wastes time. When the Peacekeeper's come in, he simply shakes my hand and the smile falls from his face. "Good luck." He says as they pull him out.

My girlfriend Jennifer comes in practically crying and literally jumps at me locking her arms around me. She knows my plan. We don't say anything nor need to, we talked about this many times. She's eighteen now so she is free and clear of the Games, which I'm thankful for. I always figured if we both made it out we'd easily marry.

I say two things to her before the guards take her out too. "Be happy." and "I love you."

Spending my entire life learning, watching, fixing and even building the things, I've never been in one of the trains while it moves. This type I've never seen, Junelle our escort says it's called a 'Luxury Train'. She says it will only be a few hours before we get to the capitol but we will be on the train for dinner.


	4. Train Ride of Memories: The Crew&Mentors

The section of the train we're in is nicely furnished, then again anything with a shine to it is nice to me. The dust that accumulates within our house is none stop and sticks to everything, yet here with the Capitol funding they are able to not only have real silver and crystal decorations but can keep them clean and polished as well. There are a pair of couches on either side of a strong looking wooden coffee table, some muffins and various pastries sit atop a crystal platter. A turn to a chair near a window, plush red thing that looks more comfortable than my bed at home would ever be. I sit in it and look around, a small table is next to the chair with some books on it, but they don't keep my interest. I wave my sister away and using my feet push the chair to face diagonally out the window so I can watch the landscape as we pass it by.

As the trees, hills, and mountains roll past I think back to the Games I've already seen, and what I may expect to encounter. Specifically I remember the Games a few years ago when I was 8. Dad was still alive and like everyone else during the Games did not have to go to work. We watched, my sister barely old enough to understand what was going on. I remember watching the Bloodbath, sitting on the edge of an Oasis in a desert. The oasis was so close, that three of the Tribute's platforms where feet away from the first cluster of palm trees. A friend of my Dad's had a daughter in that Games. She was twelve years old, and with no one brave enough to volunteer to replace the poor girl. She died during the first Bloodbath, took an ax to the side of the head. I saw Dad wince at that and then start mumbling to himself. I asked him what he was saying and he calmly looked at me, with a single tear running down his cheek said: "That was a War Ax son. Probably based off the Viking Boarding ax of the 13th century."

I was just old enough to know that this was no act, these people were dying, but my father seemed to take solace in some of the deaths as he told me what each weapon was. Shortly after Lynn won by stabbing the tribute from 1 in the eye as he tried to headbutt her my father bought some paper from the local market and began sketching weapons labeling them all for me to know. I remember coming home everyday after school and there would be a drawing of a weapon with basic dimensions of it. He only wrote the question once, but it was simple and I had to have an answer by the time he got home from work. "This is a? Defend by? Attack by?" That's how I started learning weapons.

Four years later, I was among the crowd of potential tributes when Gaius was chosen. Dead was sick and in bed, but I watched with my sister huddled against me, I got excited when Gaius killed a tribute from 7 and claimed her tomahawks; Through Dad's teachings I knew they were a quick and vicious weapon, native to old North America and the Native Tribes that once inhabited it. My father died from sickness two weeks after Gaius had won and returned a Victor. Shortly after I found the warehouse and began instructing and teaching my little sister, just in case. Turns out we both would need the lessons.

I don't know how long I sat there thinking, a few times Junelle or my sister would come to try to talk to me but every time I either ignored them or waved them away. I finally turn and see Junelle off to the side reading a book and I see my sister sitting on one of the couches opposite a man engaged in a conversation. For a brief second I think about defending my sister until I realize I recognize him, how could I not? It was him on the first Reaping: Gaius. Lynn isn't here, but she is a none addict to various drugs, most either pain killers or supposed to suppress memories. I decide it's finally time to join the rest of the group and cross over to Gaius and Gwenivere.

"..water is the most important, everyone from the Districts knows how to go hungry, but lack of water can kill you faster than lack of food. Dehydration is the worst thing in the arena trust me." Gaius finishes as I cross over. He then looks up at me. "Ah. Kain, I'm-"

"I know who you are!" I cut him off sharply.

Junelle gasps at my outburst but Gaius looks up at me, with the hint of an impressed smirk tugging at his lips.

"Uh.. din.. dinner everybody!" Junelle stammers as the plates start arriving trying to avoid a possible confrontation between me and Gaius. A quick smirk is all he gets from me as I turn and sit myself, immediately starting on the meats. I do have a bowlful of this strange salad, drenched in this oil. It consists of olives, tomatos, some leaves and this rather odd crumbly cheese. The roasted bell peppers and skewered pork is juicy and I soon realize that my napkin next to me is covered already, so I move to a stew of various meats.

People try to talk to me but I always give them a look to stop them. Lynn shows up as I'm getting out my first portion of stew. Tall, blonde, and ragged. The drugs and sometimes even overuse has racked her body turning her from the girl that won ten years ago to this broken thing with probably poor advice.

We arrive maybe an hour after dinner to the cheers of the capitol crowds and are quickly driven through the mob of mindless colored and feathered and styled capitol residents. We arrive at the staging area for the chariot ride rather quickly and we jump out to immediately be swarmed by our stylist's minions. I hate them, so I do not care for names as they poke and prod and rip and tear and scrub and scald.

Finally Hylleth arrives. She looks like a bird with all the feathers attached to her and her clothes. She gets to work without much words and I hear one of her minions mention she rarely speaks. She gets me into this strange steel grey costume with wheels everywhere. Clever, District 6 transportation, wheels. My sister has the same general costume but less wheels and I can see the weight of them over balance her. I smile at her plight and laugh with her getting a simple humorless giggle from her. The chariots pull us through the throng of the capitol crowds, but all eyes are turned to the normal winners and favorites, Districts 1, 2, and 4. I'm halfway through when I hear the roar begin anew, and turn up at the screens to see District 12 come in.

They're covered in black soot or dust, the timid little girl, 14 tops, is looking down at her feet, she has red linings and I think what's supposed to be a wick on her back extending up past her head. They're supposed to be dynamite sticks I think, but the boy... stands there arms crossed staring straightforward. Immovable and immensely strong in his demeanor. He will definitely be a problem.

When we finally get to the training center Junelle, Gaius and Lynn are there but looking at Lynn's eyes and her shakes I can tell she wants to leave since she does not have her dose of Morphling ready. The Tributes from 1 are glaring down at everybody, until the girl from 2 walks over casually and stops directly in front of them. She looks them up and down before bursting out laughing. Peacekeepers arrive and usher the tributes from 1 away before they start throwing punches at her.

"What is wrong with you Misha? 1s are good to have." I hear the boy from 2 say as he grabs her arm.

"Buzz off Rylek I'll do what I want!" She shouts wrenching her arm away from him and stomping off to the elevators.

Misha and Rylek. Now I know for certain the names from two. As I ride up to our floor and change and get ready for dinner I think back trying to remember the name of the boy from 12. I decide his name is Michael or something and go to dinner. It goes by without much event and conversation, just the capitol people talking about their impressions. Soon after we watch the recap of the chariot rides then I immediately go to grab a drink of water before bed. As I pass the dining room I see Gaius walking out of his room rubbing his arm. I stop wait and even he does not expect when I turn and grab him pushing him against the wall, keeping his arms pinned.

"Listen. You focus on Gwenivere, got it? Not me, I don't want to hear anything from you unless I specifically ask, just focus on keeping her alive!"

With his slight nod I push off and walk to my room seeing the Avoxes walking to Gaius.


	5. Training Days Interview with Flickerman

In the morning breakfast is simple, lots of eggs, ham, hashbrowns and bacon. I decide to take the quick route and make sandwiches with slices of bread laying around, putting two eggs, a ham slice and a few bacon strips. After my third one, I eat a small thing of hashbrowns and then go to my room. I put my suit on quickly and head downstairs, it's an hour early but I don't care. Both from 1, 2, and 4 are already there and waiting, the boy from 12 arrives soon after almost dragging a very tired looking girl from 12. Slowly the rest arrive, I'm glad when Gwenivere arrives before the two from 9 who are last.

The head of the training center goes on quickly about each station and warns not to head for the weapons only, take some time to learn some survival skills then lets us go. Within the first few hours I get the general idea of the Career's specialties. The boy from 1 likes his swords, mostly going for the short stabbing ones. The girl from 1, who I hear called Cabella is an excellent spear user, and surprisingly strong. I watch easily as she thrusts her spear straight through two dummies and hits the third in the end by wrenching up at the last second. Granted she's holding the very end of the spear against the chest of the first, it's still impressive.

Misha I notice has a great knack for anything ranged, great archer, superb javelin thrower and she can throw knives quite a distance. Her partner from 2 I see at one point not only throwing axes meant for two handed melee combat with some degree of accuracy but I notice he spins and slashes violently with them too. The sound of a whip breaks my focus as I turn to see the boy from 9 with a leather cord. He has surrounded himself with a dozen practice dummies and is spinning rapidly and stopping for a few seconds to use the whip in his hand. I watch carefully and witness him literally rip the face off of one dummy, and when he stops I realize he has attached a few hooks to the end of it. It seems to me that he is using a fishing wire and hooks as a strangely deadly weapon.

"Kain?" Gwenivere's voice makes me blink as Hain steps out of his circle of maimed and destroyed targets.

I look down at my little sister. "What is it?"

"Why aren't you training? It's been almost three hours and I haven't seen you really work on anything."

I smile warmly, realizing she has been working furiously at both fire making and spear wielding in the background. "Do the same kiddo. Use your real talents for the private sessions."

She nods and without saying anything walks off to fire making again.

At lunch I start learning more names, Jyn is the boy from 1, Cabella his partner, Rylek is the boy from 2 that seems to try to keep Misha tamed. The boy from 9, the one with the whip is named Hain. I notice that everyone seems to be talking to the boy from 4. One quick look makes me realize why. He has taken his shirt off to cool down and he is glistening with sweat, but also intensely rippled with muscles. After lunch I see him spar with every combat trainer there and win. He was a hands fighter, and extremely quick and deadly with a knife that almost seemed to appear at the throats of sparring partners. Paul.

I also requested our Mentor to draw up some situations for me to solve, puzzles basically to show my intuition and brain power. He gave me three for the second private session, where a small group of sponsors watched. The first was simple, Desert, sand storm on the way and two careers rushing me. Gave me a rope, half a canteen of water, a blanket, and a knife. I had fifteen minutes until the careers would attack me, with a mace and a sword. I took two minutes looking at the situation, then began writing, a few minutes later I had the puzzle solved. The main sponsor was wowed by my quick thinking. A strip of the blanket to make an eyeshield against the storm, use some rope to tie blanket around my shoulders like a medieval cloak, then used rope and knife to make a whip like weapon with a blade on the end. Swinging in continuous arcs with my improvised weapon to keep the tributes at bay I waited till the storm hit, then last minute covered myself with the blanket against the storm, with my eye shield moved off a bit and laid down against the storm.

Second was a little more challenging, city ruin, huddled in a cluster of rubble with an overhang to keep harsh wind at bay, cooking a rat and I'm starving. An arrow barely misses me, and I have but one spear and a knife. No water, no food. One tribute a hundred meters away shooting me. Dodge out of sight, work at a broken wall to topple it over and create a lot of smoke. Using that I take my spear and flank my attacker, killing her and taking all her equipment. Immediately move to lower ground, somewhere people wouldn't think first.

Third, simple being chased by four tributes, two careers and two of their alliance. I find a river of rapids. Quickly I hid in some brush, use a piece of my cloth and branches to tie an air pocket on my canteen (empty) and poke a small hole in it. I dive into the rapids and ride them, my mouth pressed against the canteen for air. Two escapes and one kill, they did not like that, but liked my creativity. More challenges for my next day, and more training.

The final training session arrived, with and I went in ready to go, almost angry. I shot, I threw, I stabbed, slashed, cut. By the last few minutes had passed, every dummy was either dismembered or impaled by something. I wasn't sure how long I had, so I quickly took a knife and used it as flint to quickly start a fire, and immediately started working on a makeshift lean-to shelter when they mentioned my time was up. I left with a sense of accomplishment. I went to our floor right after and showered, knowing I wouldn't be able to do so soon and waited, my sister arrived just as I step out to the living room to nibble on the snacks laying around. Then the scores. Jyn, 9, Cabella 10, Kylek 9, Misha 7, Paul 11, Glaze, 4, Gwenivere 7, myself, 10, Hain 11, and Mavrick, that was his name, a 12. Damn near impossible. Must of been some skills he was hiding from us.

The Interviews were done with a man named Malek Flickerman, who had repeatedly mentioned that this would be his "last year" as host before his son Caesar takes over. The interviews went smoothly for the first group, both boys from 4 and 5 were nervous and not sure if they could win, the tributes from 1 and 2 had typical pride and arrogance. My sister's turn was interesting, simple answers, where she was from, what she did for work, what she thought after being chosen. All answers she knew the crowd would like quick, simple, truths. Looks like Gaius was doing what I asked, then it was my turn.

"Kain!"

I step up, same clothes I wore during the reaping. I refused all of Hylleth's attempts at changing it.

"Well first, what is with the jacket?" Malek asked.

"I know not the fancy Capitol stuff right?"

"No where near!"

"That's the point. I'm from District 6, not the Capitol, and this jacket came from my dad, before the wars."

"Really? Such a long time ago?"

"Yea, Dad said he wore it during the war, and his dad wore it before him. Kind of a family heirloom. Dad told me there were patches on it of certain musicians grandpa liked back in his time."

"Sounds like an interesting fellow your dad. What does he think with his children being chosen?"

"Uh...he died of sickness a few years ago."

"I'm sorry. Now, your sister."

"Beautiful girl no?"

"Charming and lovely. They picked her name after yours I understand, did you have plans to protect her, friends family?"

"Yea, a friend's family would take care of her, got them to promise me that once I was old enough."

"What do you think about the others."

"I don't."

"Oh?"

"Why should I? I'm thinking about my sister, and making sure she lives. Anyone who gets in my way of keeping her alive, dies."

"Honorable yet violent, I love it! Kain from District 6 ladies and gentlemen!"

Everyone else went next, Mavrick was last and he was so calm it scared me to my bones. He would make it to the final 8 I knew it.

The morning of, I got up early and waited for Gwenivere. She got up shortly after I did and was surprised to see me waiting for her.

"What is it Kain?"

"The Games. Listen, we've both watched them you know what happens right away. The Bloodbath. Don't go for it, run, climb a tree, dig a hole, hide, I don't care. Remember our whistle?"

She nods smiling.

"Good our signal if we see each other. Hide, I will get us supplies."

"Right. And with us together no one will beat us!"

I can't say it, I can't say my doubt so I smile and hug her.

"Let's go eat breakfast."

**Author's Note:**

Sorry about taking awhile to post the next chapter, working graveyard shifts have messed with me. But I'll try to have the next few up within the week.


	6. Blood Upon Snow: It Begins

**Author's Note: This is were it starts to get violent. I don't shy away from gore when writing fight scenes and this story has a lot of them. You have been warned!**

We eat quickly and wait, I'm practically bouncing in anticipation, my mind flying every which way, what type of terrain it'll be, where will my sister go, what weapons and supplies will be there. Finally Junelle brings me up and they fly me out, the damned tracker needle is huge and I have to force myself to look away. I hate needles. It's almost comical I realize, me shying away from a needle but about to be thrown into a fight to the death with 22 other people trying desperately to kill me.

Once we arrive I find Hylleth in the Launch Room underneath the arena waiting for me. I shake my head at her and walk over to the coat racks holding my uniform for the arena ignoring her help. I immediately notice that both the pants and the jacket are heavy with many layers, this immediately gives me the notion that the arena will be cold. I notice a few minutes after I've dressed that Hylleth is sitting on one of the couches nursing a cup of tea from the smell of it. I start picking at the food, keeping my stomach full before I launch into a place that could have next to no food. As I'm sipping at a glass of watered wine the announcer starts and I quietly cross to the Launch Pad. I turn and wave at Hylleth giving a simple smile before I look up the chute ready to be lifted. I'm ready!

The brightness of the Cornucopia blinds me, but you can't mistake the wetness that hits my face as I'm raised into the weather of the arena, a very light snow. I quickly look around and see Gwenivere four spaces to my right, the closest career to her is Jyn, who is right next to me. I look over the area we are in, a lightly packed snow field, but the whistling wind gusts the flakes falling up around every which way. I look around spinning slightly on the pad and see in every way there are rock faces, cliffs, and mountains, we seem to be on a summit of a smaller mountain. I look at the ground towards the Cornucopia and see the closest weapon to me is about fifty feet away, and nothing but a simple steel club. I crouch slightly, knowing everyone at home is watching me wondering what I'm thinking. When the gong rings I charge full out into the throng of chaos that'll erupt soon.

I get to the club as fast as I can, but Jyn runs right past me, much faster than I am, I grimace as I see him sprinting towards the very back of the horn with a ten foot long wall of various swords. His weapon of choice. The club is in my hand but the crunch of snow behind me keeps me from heading further in. I stop and give a backhand swing out and catch the 9 girl in the ribs. She falls away slightly hurt but not badly, I don't go for the kill, I'm here for supplies not death. I see the corpse of the first fallen tribute, a girl from 11 I think, her head resting awkwardly against the platform we stood upon, the giant Paul steps over her corpse, half her face bashed in and bleeding. Judging by the blood Paul didn't run in but went left and grabbed her and used his incredible strength to crush her head into the plate.

I can't waste time, I catch the back end of my sister's black ponytail going over the southern edge of the plateau, she's safe for now. I continue towards the horn grabbing up a spear and using that to prod anyone that comes a little too close. I get to a pile of supplies mere feet from the mouth of the horn where Jyn is battling the boy from 11 with a scimitar in one hand and a jagged knife in the other. I flip open a large black backpack at my feet and see it is loaded to the brim with food and a few tins of supplies. My luck holds when I see the girl from 7 grab a small gladius and start moving towards me, she gets a few feet from me before I jump up suddenly and stab out with my spear catching her in the stomach.

My spear still lodged in 7's gut I see just behind her a weapon I wished and hoped for, I let her fall away my spear still embedded in her, the backpack over my shoulder. I claim the weapon and look around, no one is close to me so I run back to the pile of supplies and grab two blankets. I have enough. My weapon clutched in hand I turn and run south, hoping that I'll find my sister in time. I look behind me to see Paul with a massive flanged mace in hand fighting the girl from 8 who is cleverly ducking and dodging looking for an exit rather than fight the behemoth with a mace.

I get to the edge of the plateau and skid to a stop, the drop is almost straight down, with a path of some sorts nearly a hundred feet down. I can't see my sister, and I hope she either found the safe way down or made it to the path without going over. An intake of breath and crunch of snow brings my attention back, my elbow swings out catching an attacker behind my in the ribs. They bend over my shoulder and I grab onto them and decide to throw them down the hillside, a look back to the slowing fight and I jump down after whoever I threw. My hand is back grabbing snow and the ground beneath it hoping to slow my fall, the tribute I sent before me hits the path and rolls downwards a few feet before stopping, their hand dangling over the edge.

My descent had slowed enough and I land, a little rougher than I'd have liked, but my momentum doesn't send me over the edge. I walk over to the tribute, my sword out ready to kill when I realize it was a girl, from 12 I believe and she had been knocked out during the fall. My hand is ready to strike but I drop my pack instead and root through it to find the length of rope I saw. I bind her hands and legs and casually toss her over my shoulder before walking as quickly, but cautiously down the mountain. I have been walking down the small winding pathway for nearly an hour before I find a small alcove in the rock, no snow covering it. I decide to lay the girl, into the alcove and swing the backpack onto the ground to start seeing what I had collected.

A few packets of jerky, some bread wrapped up tightly, that will have to be eaten first; I find some wire, and small tin of a glossy ooze, I guess to be Capital medicine. I find a compass, small but useful in the mountains (which I quickly hide in my pocket) A few tin cans sealed tightly, luckily with added can opener, some matches and I notice that clipped to the bottom of the pack is a small lantern. Tiny in fact, but I guess it will help in a cave I expect to come across. All in all, I have roughly four days of food for two people, a compass, medicine I guess, two blankets, wire and a compass. I look down at my main prize, the main thing I had hoped to find in the Cornucopia the entire time: A sickle. I look at it carefully, not the original hook blade on a four foot pole of the farmers, but the old Greek combat weapon. Razor sharp designed to hooked and cut wheat, or limbs or heads.

Twelve is laying in the alcove still unconscious but I know what I need to do. I cover her with a blanket and try to cover that with snow, I then collect my backpack and weapon and start walking back up the mountain. I get to the spot on the path were 12 and I had landed earlier and look up just in time to hear the first cannon. A quick bloodbath it seems. I count the shots and hear only five, a relatively light bloodbath. The Capitol and the Gamemakers won't be too impressed with that and I think every tribute will know that. I breath in and press against the cliff as I hear two people talking as they come closer to where I am. I nearly jump when a body is tossed down the hill, lands less than a foot from me on the path and keeps rolling off the mountain. The summit of this mountain must be small since the careers appear the be tossing the bodies over the cliff so the hovercraft can grab them while the careers loot the Cornucopia.

Pressed against the snow and the mountain that it covers, I wait patiently listening for anyone coming but I wait for what seems to be an hour before I finally decide to move. I decided against following the path, and instead started slowly but safely climbing up the mountainside. I reach up and grab the ledge to pull myself to the plateau that the Cornucopia sits, and slowly lift myself up until I can see over the snow. I can see some blood splatters on the snow, and one long streak up the Cornucopia's golden side, most of the supplies are still in the same spot, aside from some very choice items that has been stacked right in the back of the golden horn. I'm guessing the careers are intending the horn itself as their shelter. I keep looking around the summit and am about to lift myself up when she walks from around the horn carrying a bundle of blankets. Glaze, the girl from 4, ironically with a score of 4. I wonder why they left her to guard the supplies, but it does not matter. She is in my way and dies. I slowly move closer to the horn where she seems to be making a group of beds and even from the few dozen feet away I can see that there is a large clump of blankets there already. Sneaking and stepping quietly I get within ten feet of her and hide behind a large crate that easily hides my body.

I wait, quietly and patiently, barely breathing and not moving a muscle as she walks around, judging by the crunch of snow I gauge her whereabouts. Finally I hear the clunk of her boot hitting the metal of the horn. I know where she is, less than fifteen feet away from me and she does not know I am here thinking on the easiest way to kill her. I peek over the crate and she her bent over the collection of bedding doing something with it, maybe adding more blankets. At my feet I notice a knife, which I gladly pick up before as quietly as possible walking towards her, knife and sickle ready. I'm a few feet behind her when she stands, hands on her hips looking at the pile of bedding. My knife darts out and catches her in the back, if my guess is right, a kidney.

"That's why you got a 4." I sigh at her before my sickle arcs out at her neck. Seconds later the cannon fires.

I leave the body inside the horn while I look through the items inside. Weapons galore, most still on the walls, blankets, sleeping bags, small squares of black cloth, some food. I see some oil on the side near some bags of supplies. I take a large back pack and begin filling it to the brim with food and some small vials of medicine. I take a large blanket and place a few swords on it before wrapping them up and strapping them to the back pack. Lastly I take two spears, tie them together with some wire, and then move all my collection of supplies outside. Looking around I can see some more blankets and sleeping bags aside but I will take some of them, leaving maybe half a dozen of each. I smile as I find some oil, maybe cooking oil but it doesn't matter. I pour all of it on the blankets of supplies in the horn and strike a match. The mouth of the horn is a glowing inferno by the time I get to my backpack, weapons and few blankets. I look around at my work, most of the blankets are burning, along with the sleeping bags and other heat keeping items. I nod and smile collecting my group of items, awkwardly due to the amount and leave.

The weight slows me down so I decide to take the risk and follow the path down instead of jumping again. Maybe two hours later I find the alcove, the snow off the blanket, and 12 wiggling inside trying to squeeze through the ropes.

"Stop!" I shout coming around into her sight, my sickle in hand the rest of my supplies dropped behind me.

She stares at me, her eyes wide and full of fear.

"I'm not going to kill you." I sigh. "Unless I have to." I warn, my eyes glaring at her.

I cut her ropes and walk over to the cache of supplies.

"Why?" Her voice says, still at the alcove.

"Because. Careers can have alliances, why can't we? Sides it'll be easier to carry all this with two."

"How many are dead?" She asks timidly and slowly walking towards the supplies.

"Six." I say unrolling the blanket of swords.

I took time choosing the weapons, guessing correctly that the other tributes wouldn't be back while I looked through their loot. An arming sword, a scimitar, a gladius and a machete. Good weapons at any time. I look at the rest of the supplies now totaling eight days of food, 5 swords including my sickle, two spears, 6 knives, 1 vial of some green liquid, two cans of medicine, two packs of matches, wire, rope, a compass and four blankets. A very good haul, if a bit over encumbering.

"Is there no water?" She asks looking at the bag of food.

I laugh at her. "What score did you get?"

"Si.. six." She whispers.

Still laughing I reach to my side and get a small handful of snow and pack it into a small clump and toss it to her. She looks at it weird until I toss a smaller clump into my mouth.

"Do you not have snow in 12?" I ask genuinely curious.

"Yea...but we never ate it. And my mum says we haven't had a big snow in years."

I shrug and look up at the sky, maybe 2 in the afternoon. But still we have to get moving, the careers could've spotted the hovercraft and the smoke from the fire of the Cornucopia and could come hunting once they realize most of their warming meterials have been burned.

I look at 12, thin and weak, but some strength in her arms but not much. I pick up the gladius and toss it to her, then bundle the weapons up again. Scimitar and Sickle on my belt, Machete over my back, spear in hand, with a backpack full of food. She carried her sword on her belt and spear in hand, another backpack of supplies on her back, we start moving. From where we are we can't exactly see much of the arena, the snow is everywhere, but I can make out some trees maybe half a days walk straight south, but the winding path will make that a day walk instead. By evening the snow is coming down a lot heavier and we're forced to make camp in a small cave that only allows one person to lay down. We push the supplies into the back, underneath a large rock that we can barely move with both of us trying, then start eating, bread mostly since that'll go old first. Once night falls I stand outside as the snow falls faster and heavier and the temperature drops quickly. My teeth are chattering and my hands are tucked into my armpits when the death recap is broadcasted. The first face is Glaze from 4, both from 7, girl from 9, and then both from 11. Gwenivere made it, she's alive. I smile but jump right after when a cannon fires, not even five minutes after the broadcast, it was like that person was waiting to die until after the broadcast to torment me.

I turn and crouch down about to go in the cave when I see her, leaning awkwardly against the rock over our supplies, two blankets wrapped around her and still shaking every now and then. I grab another blanket and throw it on her before wrapping up in the last one. I let her sleep most of the night, and wake her up around 3 or 4 am before I curl up and try to get a few hours sleep. I wake up with a start from some weird dream with cannons shooting my sister and dad as I watch helpless. I look outside the cave and see 12 standing alert a spear in hand looking around, when I realize I was woken by the cannon. I rub the sleep from my eyes and crawl out of the cave and stand next to her and start looking around. We only see the hovercraft as it floats away and vanishes a few seconds later, somewhere to the west is where it pick the corpse up. Looking at the sky I realize it's almost noon.

She's looking at me when I look back down. "You seemed tired so I let you sleep."

The simple truth of it made my annoyance at her fade quickly. I crawl back inside the cave and grab an entire loaf of bread and a small wheel of cheese, which we split while sucking on pieces of snow. Speaking of the snow I realize the weather finally, the skies are clear and the snow is light and fluffy more powder than anything else, not heavy and blinding like I feared but easily passable. After our quick meal we pack up our supplies and decide to keep moving down the hill looking for the small forest I saw. We're about halfway down the mountain, towards the forest when we stop to eat lunch, mostly consisting of a few pieces of dried meat and melted snow.

I'm looking down at the forest chewing a piece of honeyed jerky when the cannon fires. I'm on my feet looking around for few minutes, trying to see where the hovercraft appears, but I don't see anything, the mountain covers most our view so we guess it was behind us. I sit back down and finish our small meal and then as we get our gear together I notice an interesting sight over the forest. An eagle or hawk circling a tree, maybe a kilometer into the trees. I stand there watching it, never really seeing that type of bird before when an arrow comes out of the trees and takes it out.

"12!" I call, getting her attention.

She walks over and stands next to me, a spear and her gladius in her hands. "What?"

"Theres someone in the forest already." I say looking for any other movement in there.

"How do you know?" She asks looking around and up the trail behind us.

"I saw a bird get taken out with an arrow. Someone is in there, hunting."

"Do we keep going?"

I stand there staring at the forest, wondering who it could be. Misha was a good archer, as well as Mavrick, but Misha would be with the careers, Mavrick...who knows where he'd have gone. I stand there watching the forest, my mind wandering trying to guess who it would be. I keep thinking back to the bloodbath and what little combat I saw, the careers were dominating, like normal, but who else did I see, specifically did I see anyone grab a bow? My thoughts keep bringing up void answers, I can't be sure aside from me and 12 fighting near the edge of the summit.

"What're be going to do?" 12 asks, her voice shaken.

I turn and see the mist in front of her, the temperature is dropping rapidly even down below.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if I want to risk the forest just yet, but we need shelter, more so now that the temperature is dropping again."

I look around, even now the snow is starting to fall.

"We passed a goat trail about half an hour ago, want to try that?"

I nod knowing which trail she was talking about and turn away from the forest, and the unknown enemy inside. We get to it without difficulty and we start walking up, soon realizing its becomes a very narrow path and a few times we have to toss our packs through and squeeze past sideways. Up above the trail must look like a small crevice or tear in the earth. We keep going for another hour, walking, and squeezing through the narrow pass until we come across a bit of a jump. I could easily jump it, but I decide to throw my backpack up, then hers before I jump up. I take a quick look and see a small clearing, a cave to my right and the path continues to the left immediately widening and from that way I can hear a small stream passing by.

I'm crouched ready to lift twelve up when I notice movement above me, above the 'tear' we're in walking along the edge. I look up in time to see it crouched ready to leap. I shout out a warning at her and she is half turned when the mountain lion lands on her back and starts raking. I grab my spear and leap out at the creature and stab it's back leg while it's teeth are sunk into her shoulder, she is screaming out in pain her hands empty as she swats at the predator. The mountain lion falls off her back, my spear still stuck in it until I wrench it out while the creature is on the ground. It backs away from us, snarling and growling threats, it is crouched down ready to leap out again. 12 collapses against the ledge I had just leaped from and just sits there holding her shoulder whimpering. I stand between her and the lion, my spear pointed out prodding the creature if it came a little too close.

It leaps and my spear lances out, but I miss it by a hair until I realize it wasn't leaping at me, but above me. I turn and see it on the ledge, it's hind legs scrapping at the rock and snow to pull itself up. I back up a few steps and then run out leaping out and grab onto the ledge. I haul myself up and in time to see it's tail go around the corner towards the stream. I back kick my pack down to 12 and run out after it. Even wounded it's faster than me, but after a few minutes it slips on some loose rocks and I jump at it, spear out. My spear goes through it and hits the ground under it, and the lion growls and spins, it's strength and force throwing me aside. I land and keep rolling hoping that it won't jump on me, but judging by the constant growling and hissing I think when it turned it broke the spear. I push myself up and see I was right, the mountain lion was laying on it's side mewling weakly as the half foot splintered shaft stuck out of it's back.

I take one of my knives out of my belt and quickly stab the back of it's neck ending it's life. I slump back to the ground and lean against a rock catching my breath. Mountain lions. Great what other creatures have they added in this arena to kill us if we don't do it ourselves? I take back my knife and start moving back towards the clearing I left 12 at. When I get back I realize that I ran probably a kilometer up the creek bed following the creature, it's blood followed behind me. I find 12 passed out, a few food packets on the ground near her, and I realize she faded before she found the medicine. She was leaning on her left shoulder, her injured right one out towards me, so I took the chance I had and cut away the shredded jacket and shirt to look at her wounds. Once the wound is laid bare I pull back away scowling at the ugly thing. Several lacerations on her shoulder and back bleed slowly but the bite from the lion squirts uncontrollably.

I cut a small portion of a blanket and use it to clean up the wounds as best as I can, then I use sterilized cloth bandage and medical tape to keep the bandage over her cuts, a few seconds is all it takes for the bite wounds to soak through. I grab the tin of medicine and smell it, it smells like oil of some form and the goo is very glossy. I hope it works. I take the bandage off and rub a small bit of the medicine into her wounds, using as little as possible before I put a fresh bandage on her shoulder. I lean back and wait but the blood does not seem to be seeping through again. Luckily it doesn't, what ever that medicine was it was obviously stemming the blood flow. After fifteen minutes pass there is little blood seeping through but I know that if I try to move her she'll probably awaken and scream out. I don't know how far away the other tributes are so I can't take that chance. I shift her over gently making her lean in the corner while I take out some blankets to wrap her up in and cover the places we would be sleeping in with a tarp keeping any rain or snow from falling on us. Then finally settle down for the next broadcast. Unfortunately I fall asleep before it plays.

**Author's ending note: Sorry if there is any weird changes like a sudden increase in weapons or something like that, the original story I'm adding too had way too many weapons so I've changed it.**


End file.
